Home

Home...that word encompasses so many wonderful things!  Dorothy was right when she said, "There is no place like home."  I almost wish we had her ruby red slippers, so we could just click our heels and be home.  :)  Our flights, back to the States, seemed to go better...I am sure the excitement of coming home, had nothing to do with it!  We left KRAS at 6:00am, Friday morning (KRAS time), and arrived in Charlotte at 8:27pm, Friday night...with the time change, our trip from KRAS to home was about thirty hours (layovers, car-time, etc.).  It was strange, because there was never a "night," on our way back...there was a thirteen hour time difference, hence it was always daylight.  I couldn't help but just smile when we landed in New York...we were home, nation-wise!  When we got to Charlotte, the airport never seemed so inviting...we were home, state-wise!  Then, the joy of driving up the driveway...HOME, HOME, HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It was a hard trip...it is impossible to explain or to understand...you just had to have been there.  But, our God is greater!  We have two more trips...that is an overwhelming thought, right now.  We will just take it one day at a time and trust the Lord.  He will give us what we need.  

There is no possible way we can thank you...for your prayers, your sweet encouragement, and your support.  Your prayers and the grace of our Lord sustained us.  We could not have done it without them.  "Thank you," does not seem adequate, but it must do.  So, thank you from the bottom of our hearts!  We are so grateful!

Much love,

Taylor and Family (Craig, Kim, Leah, Thad, and Luke)

Wednesday

We are almost to the end of our stay.  Tomorrow will be our last visit with the boys.  I wish we could bring them home, with us, but the sooner we go, the quicker we can bring them home, for good.  It is amazing how you could love someone, so much...we have only known them for a few days.  Now, when we think of our boys, we can see their sweet faces and know who/where they are.  

Tomorrow will be busy...we are headed to the notary to sign some papers and then we are off to the orphanage.  We will, then, come back to the apartment and pack.  Friday morning, we will get up early and start our journey home.  It hasn't been an easy trip, but the Lord has been faithful.

This will probably be our last blog, for this trip...so, farewell and a blessed Thanksgiving, in the States!  We miss you, all, but look forward to being in good ol' North Carolina, soon!!!  :)  I can't wait until we can show Thad and Luke, "There is no place like home..."  

Taylor and Family

Tuesday

It's Tuesday!  

Yesterday, we left the apartment at 1:15pm and drove to the Orphanage Council's office.  Our meeting went very well!  The Lord gave us favor and we got permission to visit the orphanage.  We traveled one hour, outside the city, to a small town, which is where the orphanage is located.  Momma and Daddy met with the head director/doctor.  Afterwards, we went to a room where there were many toys (the children do not get to play with these, on a regular basis) and then, several people came in with our boys!  It is impossible to explain that moment.  After waiting so long, you finally see the ones you have been waiting, praying, and hoping for!  To say it is surreal and overwhelming, is an understatement.  :) Thad walked over to us and said, in Russian,  "Hi, my name is _____ (His Russian name...)."  

Thad:  He is so sweet.  He has such a good personality and is very calm.  He is fine just sitting in the floor, playing with his toys.  He talks, some, to us in Russian and corrects us if we do not pronounce a word correctly.  :)  He loves to see pictures of himself and smiles, a lot.  He will let you hold him and doesn't mind to give hugs.  His hair is very blond and he is so cute.

Luke:  He is precious.  He was afraid of us and cried, most of the time.  We were prepared for this, though.  He is so young...he doesn't understand who we are or why we are here.  The children are not used to seeing men or new people, so, understandably, it is hard for the younger ones.  He has darker hair (blondish-brown).  He is very attached to his nanny and will stop crying when he sees her.  Please pray that he will not be afraid and the Lord will give his little heart peace.

After our two hour visit, the director asked what we thought...we answered that we just love them!!!  We are so happy with the boys the Lord has chosen for us!  They are so adorable and we can't wait to bring them home!  It is going to be a very long journey...but every day is one step closer.  

We are so thankful for you!  It is not easy, but we can feel your prayers and that helps us get through, each day.

We are planning to see the boys, again, today.

Until next time...love from Russia!

Taylor and Family

KRAS

Well...we made it!  After a long trip, we arrived in a snowy, icy KRAS (Krasnoyarsk).  It was so dark when we landed, this morning...the sun doesn't come up until 9:00 or so (their time) and sets early evening.  (But, it was so nice to have some light, this morning-afternoon).  After we arrived, we went to our apartment (approx. one hour away).  It was Sunday morning, when we got here, so there wasn't anyone in the streets.  Once the sun came up, everyone started stirring.  Our apartment is very nice...a pleasant surprise!  It is safe (have to go through three keyed doors to get in).  There are a few restaurants, nearby, that our facilitator said we could eat.  We had a nice slice of pizza at California pizza for lunch (two blocks away).  Boy is the culture different!  :)  Russians are...well...Russian.  We will have lots of stories, by the time we get home!!!!  :)  We just got up from resting.  Momma and Daddy have an important meeting, tomorrow (at 1:15, their time).  They will go before the orphanage Council and be questioned.  (I.e. why adopting, why Russia....)  Afterwards, the plan is to go to...see the boys!!!  As of now, our facilitator said we could go, too.  (It was our understanding that Leah and I couldn't see them, until Tuesday.)  Things are subject to change.  The orphanage is one hour away.

Please pray for physical and spiritual protection...we could really feel the warfare, when we got here.  Too, please pray for favor, tomorrow, with the Council and orphanage workers.

We are almost a day ahead.  (Example: if it is 8:00am, North Carolina time...it is 9:00pm, here.)  The Wi-Fi is great!!!  We have had trouble connecting, in the airports, so this is a blessing.  We are thankful to be, here!!!

Thank you for your continued prayers...

Much love,
Taylor and Family

It's here!

It's here...a day we have been waiting two years for!  Tomorrow, we will fly to Russia to meet our boys.  It is hard for me to believe.  We will really need your prayers...there is lots to do, while we are there!

Yesterday, the Lord, again, showed His faithfulness.  We received the documents we were needing to take with us.  These documents were not mandatory, but they will speed the process of bringing our boys (my brothers) home!  We were so thankful.  For those who helped lift this need in prayer, THANK YOU!  

We are packed and ready to go...I look forward to seeing how the Lord will work!  We will try to blog, while we are in Russia, depending on Internet connection.

Thank you, so very much, for your prayers!

Much love,

Taylor and Family

We have our referral!!!

 

Our Referral

 

 

God is always on time!  On November 9th, 2010, we made the decision to begin the adoption process, from Russia.  On the 10th, we applied for two brothers, under the age of five.  This past week, we were notified that these two little guys have been identified and presented to us as a referral.  After almost two years, we have actually seen our sons and know who they are! 

 

Because of Russia's restrictions on social media, we are unable to share much information, on the boys.  However, they are brothers who are 3 1/2 and 1 1/2 years old.  And yes, they are precious! 

 

Hopefully, we will be traveling, in the next couple of weeks, to see them, for the first time.  Russia requires three trips, so it will be several months before they can be brought home. 

 

The Lord has known these little boys, from the beginning of time.  He has also known that we would be their parents and Taylor and Leah would be their big sisters.  We are thankful that God's heart is for children and for adoption...may we always have a heart like His!   ^"A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.  God setteth the solitary in families..."  (Psalm 68:5-6a)

 

We will try to keep everyone updated, as we are allowed to share, more information, in the days, ahead.  Meanwhile, please pray for our family and all that is involved in bringing our sons to North Carolina.

 

Love and blessings,

Kim, Craig, Taylor, and Leah

 





Documents for Russia

What a stack of papers!  This week, we were able to send our apostilled documents (with a special "stamp" from Raleigh) and copies to our adoption agency's family coordinator.  She will, in turn, send them on to Russia where they will be translated in the Russian language.  The documents are re-do's on papers that have expired (this occurs around a year from the date on the documents) and also papers for our adoption court hearing, in Russia.  I will say, acquiring all of these documents has been a daunting task!  However, the Lord, indeed, equips us to do what our mind simply tells us we cannot.  What would we do without a loving heavenly Father who cares about us and has the power to make things happen?  We know how dependent we are on Him.  The Bible tells us that without Him, we can do nothing...adoption will prove that over and over, again...not that everyday circumstances are not, already, constant reminders!

We learned at the first of the year, that Russia will now be requiring three trips before we can bring the children home.  Previously, we would only have traveled twice.  Over the past year, Russia has implemented many more requirements and restrictions.

We will continue to wait for a referral.  Now that Russia will have all of the updated documents, everything should be in place and ready.  Patience would be the word of the day!  Thanks so much for the continued prayers.

Blessings!

Kim and Family

Apostilling...This Week

We have almost completed our part of the pile of updates and re-dos!  Praise the Lord!!!  We are waiting for some official documents to be filled out and mailed to us.  Once we get these papers, we will send them, with the rest of our updates, to Raleigh to be apostilled.  Please pray that these documents will go through the apostilling process without any delays or mistakes that need to be corrected.  The quicker we get all of these documents to our family coordinator, the quicker they will go to Russia!  We are hoping to get everything sent off to Raleigh by the end of this week or the first of next week...depending on when we receive the other documents.  Each completed phase is one step closer to getting our referral.  We are trusting His timing!  

Thanks for your prayers!!!  They are appreciated!

Much love,

Taylor and the Church Family

Full-Swing!

It has been awhile since we have blogged.  As usual, we haven't had much to tell...we are in the "waiting" period (which requires much patience).  After an uneventful Christmas break and New Year, we have gone back into the paperwork full-swing!!!  So many official papers are expiring and are having to be updated or redone, in addition to the new forms/etc. that need to be completed.  Momma has diligently (and patiently) been completing these documents.  (She says it is like reading a foreign language...everything has to be "just so.")  It can be overwhelming at times...but God is so faithful and works in ways that He gets all the glory.  I say all this to ask for your prayers during this time...for wisdom and understanding as Momma does the paperwork, patience as we wait on the referral, and that God will provide for all these adoption needs.  

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."

Matthew 7:7-8 KJV

Thanks so much!!!

Love,

Taylor

Merry Christmas!

We are still waiting on our referral...just trusting the Lord and His timing!  In January, we will start redoing expiring paperwork and start filling out more information for regional documents.   

Hope you have a blessed and merry Christmas!

The Church Family

^"But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father."

Galatians 4:4-6 (KJV)

  

Patience is a Virtue

     I haven't blogged in such a long time, because I haven't had anything new to post.  So, I thought I would blog and tell you that I STILL don't have anything new to post!  Our paperwork has been in Russia since April and we are waiting for the referral.  How do you get a referral?  Well, our family coordinator, with our adoption agency, will call and let us know that two brothers, of Asian descent, and both under 5 years old, have been located.  She will email us all the information she has for them and once we accept the referral, the agency will begin to assist us in our first trip travel plans.  Once we fly, we will probably spend about a week in Russia and will get to visit our boys in the orphanage. 
     Russia requires two trips to visit the prospective child/children.  They do this so that both the child/children and the prospective parents can make sure that they are "compatible."  Russia wants to make sure that all is well with everyone involved before the child leaves the country.
     Once we return from the first visit with the boys, normally it takes two to three months to complete the extra paperwork that must be documented for the region in which the orphanage is located.  When that paperwork is finished and sent to Russia, we will travel for the second time.  On this trip, we will, again, see our sons in the orphanage, have a court hearing to obtain approval to adopt the boys in Russia, obtain medical releases, etc.  This could take anywhere from three to four weeks in Russia.
    It will be ten months, this Saturday (Sept. 10th), that we initially put in our application to adopt.  I don't know if it is a "mother's intuition" or just wishful thinking, but the last couple of days, I have had the feeling that something is happening with the boys.  Granted, it may be another year before our sons are located, but could it be that the time is drawing near?  We know that the Lord must have time to prepare the boys for us and prepare us for them.  We know, too, that there are many things that He must put in place before we can travel and get our sons.  Therefore, we continue to wait and truly trust in His timing.  Jesus is already in the future and He knows what is to come and what must transpire to get us all there.  We are going with Him! 
     As the weeks and months tick by, I am finding that I am longing more for our boys and desiring to be united with them.  I think this is part of the process of preparation by our Lord...getting us to the point that we can no longer live without them!  So, patience is good, but impatience can be a sign of the Lord, as well...especially when it comes to the motivation of bringing two orphans into a family...an experience they may, otherwise, never know.  Please keep praying for us as the Lord brings our family to mind.  He loves to hear from His children!  One day, we, too, will hear from our two children whom we have never seen.  We love you, all!

Blessings,
Kim

The Location of Our Sons

(Dark Red: Krasnoyarsk Region)

      Adoption is a wonderful thing, but it is amazing how often we walk in the unknown as we wait on the pieces of the puzzle to be put together.  One of the uncertainties is the location of our sons (Taylor's/Leah's brothers).  We know that they are in Russia, however, we had to wait for our dossier (official paperwork) to be submitted before we could find out the region in which we would be registered.  Yesterday, we were able to determine that our dossier has been registered in the Krasnoyarsk Region (Kras, for short).  We have been registered since April, so that means that we are three months along in the process of waiting on the referral!  How long until the referral?  Well, only the Lord really knows.  However, since we are registered in Kras, we can feel confident that this is where the boys are located.  We know that the Lord sees them and one day, we will, as well.  At least Russia doesn't seem so large and encompassing, now.  When we look at the map, we can narrow it down to a region and since we have requested children of Asian descent, we can even believe that the boys may be in the southern part of Kras, near the borders of China and Mongolia.  So, we will continue to trust in the Lord's timing and have patience as we wait on His appointed time to go and get these children. 

     Every little bit of information is welcomed and we anticipate the day we will get the referral that lets us know that our boys have been "found."  We are reminded that they are not "lost" from God and that His eyes are always on them, as they are us.  You see, the puzzle may look like there are pieces missing, but God holds all the pieces and knows the end results.  

     Please continue to pray for our family and these precious little boys in Krasnoyarsk, Russia.

Blessings,

Kim     



Getting the Room Ready

Well, we have not blogged for quite a while because we have had little to tell.  However, all of our paperwork is in Russia and we are waiting our referral for the boys.  "They" tell us it will be at least a few months before we hear anything...nevertheless, we understand that the Lord knows and that's all that really matters.

We are spending this time praying that the Lord will prepare our sons for us and us for them!  We are also asking the Lord to prepare their hearts to receive the Gospel, when that time comes.  Too, our family has been busy getting the boys' room ready in the bonus room, upstairs.  Taylor has included some pictures of the somewhat, finished product.  This past week and today, we finished cleaning out this room (which has served as our homeschool room for almost 10 years), moving things to the basement, and painting the room.  Of course, we are a bit limited in what we can do since we don't know the ages of our sons...kind of a strange thought, isn't it?  Anyway, we will keep you updated as news arrives.  Please continue to pray for our family and the union of our sons in Russia.

Many blessings,

Kim 

A quick snapshot before...

...and after!

The beds just need two little boys in them...then they'll be perfect!

The lovely view



Praise Report!

I just had to write to praise the Lord for His goodness and for other Christians that love Him and sacrifice for His glory and honor!  Today, we received another gift of money for the adoption.  The Lord never ceases to amaze us in His timing and faithfulness.  We have been Christians long enough to know that, often, the Lord instructs us to do things that sometimes we just don't want to do.  Maybe it requires inconvenience, pain, sacrifice of money or time, etc. and we just ignore what He is telling us to do.  Ashamedly, I have been there myself on more occasions than I would like to admit. Nonetheless, when we actually do walk in obedience to His leading, the blessings are greater than words can even describe.  It is our prayer that this precious family experience a double measure of God's blessings!  There are two boys in Russia and a family in Purlear who are forever grateful...

As an update..our adoption agency has our dossier (formal paper work), is waiting for one form to be completed (on their end), and then our dossier is approved to go to Russia where we will be registered and wait our referral for the boys.  Are we excited?  You better believe it! 

Blessings to all,
Kim, Craig, Taylor, and Leah

Fingerprints for USCIS Approval

Craig and I traveled to Charlotte, this morning, to be fingerprinted by the federal government.  The fingerprinting is for a form called the I-171H and is submitted to the USCIS (United States Citizenship Immigration Services).  The approval of this form allows families to bring a child born overseas into the United States and is a required step for a child to gain US citizenship.  However, Russia will allow families to submit the dossier before receiving the USCIS approval.

The initial dossier was suppose to be delivered to our adoption agency today.  So, hopefully, we will hear something positive on that end very soon.  As for now, we have done all that we can do and will wait to hear if the dossier is approved and able to send to Russia.  Then, we will begin some more document gathering and paperwork! 

We really appreciate the prayers on behalf of our family.

Blessings,
Kim

Apostilling complete!

We thought we would give you an update on the adoption process.  As you can already see, we only post when we have a "news-worthy" event!  A couple of weeks ago, we sent off our initial dossier (formal paperwork for Russia) to be apostilled (stamped with a special seal) by the NC Secretary of State.  All the documents were apostilled except for two forms.  We had sent these items with the attachments recommended by our adoption agency, but nevertheless, they could not be accepted.  Instead, they were returned with us with corrected sample attachments.  We re-submitted the documents and they were apostilled and in our hands by the end of this past week.  (As a side note, our adoption agency said that rules vary so much for each state that it is difficult to maintain the correct templates for each document and country.  They plan to develop a "tips" sheet for prospective adoptive parents that will help them if faced with issues such as these.)

Tomorrow, we will be sending the initial dossier to our family coordinator, who will look over the documents, hopefully approve them, and then they will be forwarded to Russia where they will be registered.  Once registered, the "normal" wait time for a referral is 6-9 months.  Of course, as believers, we know that the Lord is in control of time, so we will just sit back and wait to hear from Him.

In the meantime, we will continue to do paperwork and collect documents for the "court dossier" which will be used in Russia.  The paperwork, literally, will never end!  Even after we make our 1st visit to Russia, to see the boys, there will be documents to be collected and submitted for the particular region in which the boys reside.  Anyway, the sending of the initial dossier is just one more step in the process, but it is significant in that it is necessary to receive the referral...so, we are very excited to have this one "under our belt!"

As always, thank you for praying for our family as we anxiously await to be united with our boys in Russia!

Love and blessings,
Kim, Craig, Taylor, and Leah

Step by Step!

Well, adoption is a process...a slow one at that!  As the days go by, we are making some baby steps.  This past Monday, we mailed off the I600-A application.  In order to adopt internationally, each family must be approved through the United States Citizenship Immigration Services (USCIS).  The approval allows families to bring a child born overseas into the United States and is a required step for a child to gain US citizenship.  Also, yesterday, we were able to get our additional documents notarized.  Notarization is necessary before sending everything off to be apostilled.  An apostille certifies the aunthenticity of a signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted, and identifies the seal/stamp which the document bears.  We will send the documents to Raleigh to the Secretary of State office which will apostille the documents. 

There are a few papers in our Home Study that have to be re-done or another original still to be sent by our social worker.  We are waiting on these items.  Too, we have to let our family coordinator at America World Adoption look over our notarized forms to make sure they are okay before sending all the information to Raleigh.  Hopefully, this will all come together sometime next week.

We really appreciate your continued prayers.  We trust the Lord's timing in all aspects of the adoption.

Blessings,
Kim, Craig, Taylor, and Leah

God's Amazing Grace!

Taylor is usually in "charge" of the adoption blog and does a wonderful job, at that!  However, I wanted to write this particular blog because I, myself, need to brag on the Lord.  As many of you can well imagine, adopting one child is very expensive; adopting two children (at one time) is "crazy" expensive.  Craig is a full-time missionary evangelist (who heads a ministry which is faith-based) and I am a stay-at-home mom.  Having a faith-based ministry means that our family income comes from individuals, churches, and corporations who financially support our ministry, each month.  I say all of that to say that obviously, we are not wealthy (monetarily speaking).  However, those of us who know Jesus, are wealthy beyond measure, because we have a home in Glory! 

Since feeling led to adopt the boys, Craig and I have struggled with the logistics of the finances for the adoption.  We know that the Bible speaks against debt.  "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender." (Proverbs 22:7)  But, how do you come up with $85,000?!  Yes, that's what is needed for our family to go to Russia and get these two little boys.  We, quickly, came to the conclusion that, indeed, WE couldn't come up with the money.  So, we decided to put it back on the Lord.  We knew if He had called us to this endeavor, He must have a plan to bring us the money.  So, we exhasuted what bit of savings we had and then waited.  Our initial savings was enough to complete the Home Study.  We had to have the Home Study finalized to proceed with the Dossier (formal paper work for Russia).  The first form for the Dossie requires a copy of the finalized Home Study to be sent along with it.  In addition, the cost for this one form is almost $1000.  This we did not have. 

This past week, we received the finalized Home Study in the mail.  I could, now, send the first Dossier form.  But, no, we had no money to send with the document.  Today, we received (from a precious young couple) a significant monetary gift that will allow us to not only send the document, but take us through the remainder of the Dossier and provide for half of our first trip to Russia!  (Russia requires you to make two trips-one to see the boys for an initial visit in the orphanage and another to bring them home.)  Do you see what the Lord has done?  He not only provided the money, but He was right on time!  He sent the money at the very same time the Home Study was finalized.  Monday, we will send off the first document with a money order.

Many of you probably think the couple who gave us the money is "well-off."  Well, they are not.  They are much younger than Craig and I and the precious lady stays at home with her young children.  They are not even related to us!  Why?  Why would they do such a thing?  They could have used the money for their own needs or, if they had extra, given it to their relatives.  Why give money to go toward our adoption?  Because, this couple values life and children.  They live in a modest home and are hoping the Lord will bless them with many more children.  At some point, in the near future, they will probably need a bigger home.  This special, young wife even told her husband, "I will live in this house forever, if it means Craig and Kim can adopt those two boys."   That doesn't even sound like a comment you would here in this "me" culture, today.  They are sacrificing for the lives of two children they don't even know.

Yes, I am bragging on this couple, but ultimately, I am bragging on the Lord.  He is the One who has done such a great work in the lives of this dear husband and wife and their love for Him is evident in their actions.  So, we praise the Lord for His amazing grace!  He is forever faithful.

No, we don't know where the rest of the money will come from for the remaining adoption expenses.  There is still a long way to go.  But, we stand on God's Word.  "And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform." (Romans 4:21)  He is able and we will trust Him...after all, the Lord is always right on time!  "The people therefore was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record."  (John 12:17)

Your prayers are appreciated!

Much love and blessings,
Kim and Family

Dreary day joys!

On a dreary day in February (Don't get me wrong, we need the rain!), we have a little "joy" to share with you...we have recieved our finalized Home Study!  That means we can press forward with our dossier (formal paperwork that will go to Russia)!!!  Yippee!  We still have a long way to go, but we have just left one stepping stone and we're jumping onto another.  Praise the Lord!

Please continue to pray for us as we embark on a journey up a moutain of paperwork to be notarized and apostilled!  :)

Blessings from our family!

Taylor

Progress...

We are beginning to prepare the boys' room, but before we can do anything we are having to clean out the basement to make room for the upstairs stuff.  (Our bonus room will be the boys' room.) 

We are waiting on our finalized Home Study to come in the mail, any day!  Once this is received, we can begin work on the dossier (the formal paperwork for Russia)! 

Thank you for your prayers!

Kim